Telephone for blind people

ABSTRACT

A telephone comprising interface means ( 4, 1, 3, 12, 40 ) fit to allow the transmission and reception of signals corresponding to vocal and alphanumeric messages, at least a unit ( 5 ) for controlling and processing said signals and said interfaces and means ( 9, 10, 10 A,  10 B) for making said alphanumeric received messages, intelligible for blind people, whereas these interfaces are provided with members ( 40 ) for allowing blind people to transmit said alphanumeric messages.

[0001] The present invention relates to a telephone according to thepre-characterizing portion of the main claim.

[0002] In the present context by telephone is to be meant a telephoneconnected to any known network of transmission, for example, fixed,cellular, via satellite.

[0003] On the telephones it is possible since long to transmit andreceive alphanumeric written messages using an alphanumeric keyboard ofthe telephone or a connected one and to read them through a display ofthe telephone or a connected one. These messages in the present contextwill be referred to as SMS messages.

[0004] The known telephones do not allow the blind people to receive ortransmit SMS messages.

[0005] Moreover, the known telephones and, particularly the cellulartelephones, include a plurality of functions to be setup or controlledby means of interfaces that blind people cannot identify.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to realize a telephonethat allows blind people to receive and transmit SMS messages.

[0007] A further object is to realize a telephone that could be used byblind people in all or most its performance.

[0008] These and other objects which will be apparent to the expert ofthe art are attained by a telephone in accordance with thecharacterizing portion of the accompanying claims.

[0009] The present invention will be more apparent from the accompanyingdrawings which are provided by way of non-limiting example, and inwhich:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first possible embodiment of theinvention;

[0011]FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic views of some of the components ofFIG. 1;

[0012]FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are schematic views of a telephoneaccording to the invention, and are side, front and bottom views of theclosed telephone, respectively and front and bottom views of the opentelephone;

[0013]FIG. 10 is a side and front view of a battery charger for atelephone;

[0014]FIGS. 11A, B, C, D; 12A, B, C, D; 13A, B, C, are side and frontviews of a key for a telephone according to the invention in differentpositions of use.

[0015] With reference to the said figures a telephone according to theinvention comprises means 1 to receive and transmit telephone signals,having a keyboard 2, a microphone 3 and a loudspeaker 4, as well as anordinary unit 5 for controlling and processing the telephone signals tobe transmitted and received, connected to a conventional telephonenetwork through an antenna 6 in the case of a telephone cellular or viasatellite network or through a cable 6A in the case of a fixed network.

[0016] Moreover the control unit can be connected to memories 7 and/orto a reader 8 of SIM cards (if the telephone is a cellular telephone),as well as with other conventional components not shown.

[0017] A telephone of the type specified up to now and the pertinentcomponents, except for the keyboard 2, that will be described in detaillater on are of a conventional type and, therefore, will not beillustrated in detail afterwards.

[0018] The telephone according to the invention also comprises means 9to transform the transmitted and/or received signals concerning SMSmessages in a format fit to be received by means 10 (shown in detaillater on) suitable for printing in a format which can be read by blindpeople.

[0019] According to the invention, when the processing unit 5 of thetelephone receives a SMS message, it sends the same to the interface 9connected to a processing and controlling unit 11 of a printer 12.

[0020] The function of recognition of the type of communication in/outis performed by the CPU that by the Sw of communication recognizes the“data string” and sends it to the corresponding interfaces. Therefore itis the Sw of communication that controls the interactions.

[0021] The interface 9 as well as the processing and controlling unit 11are of a conventional type for the expert of the art and will not beillustrated in detail.

[0022] Also the printer 12 is of a usual type and provides a printinghead 13, an element 14 to store a strip of paper to be printed, a motor15 for feeding the paper and a sensor 16 for detecting the fed paper.

[0023] According to the invention the controlling unit 11 receives fromthe interface 9 signals corresponding to the ASCII code of the text tobe printed and operates the head printing 13 and the motor to feed thepaper 15 so that the writing as received is printed on the paper. Asalso shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0024] The store 14 is a usual element suitable to lodge a paper ribbon16 that passes through two opposed rolls 15A, B, one of which is in anidle position and one is connected to the motor 15, so that the strip ofpaper 16 is continuously fed to the printing head 13. The sensor 16 isprovided to check the correct and continuous feeding of the paper ribbonto the printing head 13. This is, preferably a usual head with mobilepunches 13A of the piezoelectric effect type to engrave on the paperribbon deformations 16A representative of the letters of the Braillealphabet. The control unit 11 of the printer provides in fact that thepunches 13A are activated so that the alphanumeric message that usuallysets on the display of a conventional telephone and particularly the SMSmessages appears on the strip of paper as Braille alphabet.

[0025] According to the invention the means 10 suitable for printing theSMS message could be replaced by other conventional means suitable fortransforming the telephone signals transmitted and/or received,concerning the SMS messages in a format which could be intelligible toblind people. The printing means could therefore be replaced by tactilemeans 10A or one or more tactile elements 13B able to reproduce insequence the letters of the alphabet Braille of the message that blindpeople could possibly “read”.

[0026] The tactile elements 13B are for example one or more conventionalcells of a Braille bar 101 (FIGS. 14-16) and are connected to a usualoperating and controlling unit 11A suitable to command the mobile parts20 of said cell so that the letters of the Braille alphabetcorresponding to the alphanumeric message SMS that is wanted to be maderead by blind people are produced in sequence. The Braille bar 101 ispreferably movably connected to the telephone body which comprises inits upper part a seat 21A (FIG. 16) into which a main part 101A of thebar may be inserted. The main part 101A houses most of the electricalcomponents of the bar and in its lower part comprises usual electricalconnecting pins 101B which cooperate with ports (not shown) provided inthe telephone body. In an upper window of the seat 21A there are locatedthe actual piezoelectric bars 101C, each bar comprising a switch 102 formanually selecting a specific bar. For example, if the user reviewing onthe bars its message finds an error in one bar, by pushing thecorresponding switch 102 he may select that bar and correct the error.This type of Braille bar is of the known type and therefore will not befurther described; it is produced for example by the German companyPapenmeier and the Japanese company KGS. According to another embodimentto make intelligible the message to blind people vocal means 10B couldbe used with a usual processing unit 11B operating the loudspeaker 4.

[0027] The processing unit 11B realizes a vocal synthesis by operatingthe loudspeaker 4 in a such way that it produces a vocal messagecorresponding to the SMS message, that could possibly be intelligible toblind people.

[0028] With reference to FIGS. 4-9, they show a cellular telephoneaccording to the invention, which includes a body 21 having two parts22, 23 which can be closed as a book one on the other. The part 22presents in its front face 22A: the microphone 1, the loudspeaker 4, anumerical keyboard 24, where the number corresponding to each key isshown on the external face of the keys in alphabet Braille, a key 25 toget or close the telephone line, a key 26 to send SMS messages, a key 27to erase a received SMS message, a slide key 28 to activate anddisconnect the answering service, two keys 29 and 30 to verify both thelevel, of reception of the telephone signal and the battery's charge.

[0029] The keys 29, 30 to verify the level of reception both of thetelephone signal and the battery's charge are connected through thecontrol unit 5 of the telephone to an organ able to give out a differentacoustic signal for all detected levels of reception or charge (so, forinstance, for a maximum level of reception of the signals four acousticsignal will be given and just one for the minimum level). Along its sidesurfaces 23B, 23C, the body 23 presents a couple of keys 31 to adjustthe volume of the loudspeaker 4 and an outlet 32 for the ribbon ofprinted paper, preferably provided with a usual blade-key to cut theribbon and a key 33 to switch on/off the telephone and a key 34 toadjust the volume of the loudspeaker or the ringing of telephone.

[0030] In correspondence of its rear face the body 23 presents a battery35 and a strap 36 connected in a detachable way to the telephone byusual connection elements 37, for example of the jerky type. In itsbottom face 23D the body 23 presents a usual outlet 38 for a batterycharger and a usual outlet 39 for the connection with usual otheraccessories of the telephone. In correspondence of its front face 23A,the body 23 presents sixteen Braille alphabetic rotating keys 40, a key41 to type in a space, a key “number” 42 that, pushed before the lettersin Braille, codifies a number, not a letter (for example, typing in thekey number 42 and subsequently the corresponding key to the letter “A”that will correspond to the number 1). The function activated by thenumerical key 42 is active until the space key is activated. Moreover, akey 43 to select the composition of a SMS message, a key 44 to selectthe function of printing, a key 45 to erase the letter corresponding tothe last key 40 selected are provided. The front face 23A of the body 23also provides a cover 46, partially shown, to close a compartment 46Asuitable to contain the motor 15 for feeding the ribbon of paper and theelement 14 to store said ribbon. All the keys hereinbefore illustratedare connected in a conventional way to the central operating andcontrolling unit 5 of the telephone. All the keys, except for 40, have,on their external face and/or frontal face 22A of the body of the phonea symbol or a writing in the Braille language concerning the functionfor which said keys are meant. For this purpose the minimum keysdimensions are 4×7 (mm) and that is a great advantage.

[0031] The keys 40 (also represented in FIGS. 12-14) present,preferably, a parallelepipedal form having hexagonal bases and all sidefaces with dimensions at least equal to 4×7 (mm) in order to present thetactile smallest area for blind people. Particularly, three out of thesix faces 40A present, in alternate, the universal Braille symbolscorresponding to the different characters (for example FIGS. 12A, 12C,12D, 13A, 13C, 13D show the position corresponding to the letters A, B,C, respectively), special and not, and to the punctuation marks whilethe remaining three faces do not present any character (as representedin FIGS. 12B, 13B). Each character is selected through rotations andsubsequent pressure of the corresponding key face: the rotation isjerky, to facilitate the correct positioning during the composition ofthe messages. Particularly 42 letters have been chosen, with variants,and 6 signs for the punctuation marks. By these rotation keys 46, it ispossible to considerably reduce the total number of the keys (withobvious advantages in terms of speed/easiness on composition andcontainment and limiting the dimensions of the telephone). The operationof these rotating keys takes place as follows: on an end of thehexagonal section key 40, a projection 47 is obtained having the samesection as the key but slightly reduced, with relieves on it; under thepressure of the rotating key, through the underlying contacts, electriccircuits 48 relative to the representation of the corresponding symbolsBraille will be activated. Therefore, each pressure of the keycorresponding to a letter causes the closing of a particular andunivocal combination of contacts 48 (such as represented in FIGS.13A/14A, B, C) what will cause the sending of a corresponding univocalsignal to the telephone control unit 5.

[0032] It is to be noted, that according to the invention, even if thekeyboard with rotating keys has been described with reference to atelephone for blind people and Braille alphabet, it may be used in anyother electrical devices and for any required alphabet or code, i.e. foralphabetical or numerical codes. The same also applies to the dimensionof the rotating keys which may be different from that indicated, if thekeyboard is not used by blind people. Also the shape of the rotatingkeys may be different and comprise a different number of faces, i.e.three, four, five , seven, eight.

[0033] With the telephone hereinbefore described it is possible toperform the following functions:

[0034] To switch “on” the telephone: by a slide key 33 with the univocalsign in Braille “on/off” on it.

[0035] To make a call: before or after dialling the number on thetelephone keyboard 24, the line key 25 is activated. Should a mistakeoccur in typing, it is possible to deselect the number through the key“erase” 27; to end the conversation the same key “line” 25 is used. Toanswer to a call: the key “line” 25 is pressed; to end the conversationthe same key “line” 25 is used. Refusal of a call: the key “erase” 27 ispressed. Activation/disconnection of the answering service by the properslide key 28, with the sign in Braille “on/off” on it. To listening inthe answering service by means of the code of telephone Provider,dialled on the numerical keyboard. Activation/disconnection of the blocknumerical keyboard by a pressure in a matched combination of keys 24,for example of the keys “*” and “#”. Variation of the volumes ofloudspeaker, keyboard and alarm: through the slide key 16 the functionof the telephone whose volume is to be varied is selected, thereforethrough the pressure of the two keys 31/10 the variation of theintensity of the volumes will be obtained. Execution of the test forevaluating the battery charge through the pressure of key 30 that givesacoustically the requested information with a number of acoustic “beeps”(for example from 1 to 4) proportional to the percentage of comparedposition. Execution of the test of intensity of the telephone linesignal is possible through the pressure of the key 29 that givesacoustically the information demanded with a number of acoustic “beeps”(for example from 1 to 4) proportional to said intensity. The tones ofthe acoustic beep are, preferably, different from those concerning thelevel of the battery.

[0036] To send SMS message the following operations are performed:

[0037] opening of the front door 23 and access to the SMS section of thetelephone,

[0038] pressure of the key 43 function “SMS,”

[0039] composition of the text through the inside keyboard 40,

[0040] closing the door 23 of the telephone, dialling through thenumerical keyboard 24 the telephone number to which the SMS message isto be sent and forwarding through the key “sends” 26 followed by anacoustic automatic confirmation, both when the forwarding has beenbrought to a conclusion or when it failed.

[0041] For the reception of a SMS message the following phases areprovided:

[0042] notification through acoustic signal and/or vibration of thepresence of a message,

[0043] opening of the front door 23 and access to the SMS section of thetelephone,

[0044] printing in Braille alphabet of the text and the telephone numberof the sender through pressure of the key “print” 44,

[0045] cut of the printed text through the key “cutter” 32.

[0046] Should it happen that the arrival of a SMS is not heard in realtime, it is possible to verify its presence at any moment pressing thekey “printing”; if the message is present it's printed, otherwise anacoustic signal warns its absence.

[0047] The presence of an element of watermark in proximity of the endof the paper ribbon 16 is detected by the sensor 16A that activates anacoustic signal which allows the blind people to replace the ribbon ofpaper in time. If the paper run shorts before the complete printing ofthe message, a memory will preserve the message.

[0048] All the aforesaid functions are realized and implemented in aconventional way for the expert of the art by the operating and controlunits 5, 11 of the telephone.

[0049] In FIG. 10 is represented a device 49 for the recharge of thebattery 35 of the telephone through a connection to an electric net. Thedevice comprises a cable 5 for connecting the electric net, aconventional lodging 50 for the only battery to recharge, a conventionallodging 51 for the telephone and the relative battery to recharge,indicators 52 of the level of reached position (complete, intermediary,null), a key 53 for the search of the telephone. The indicators 52 ofthe charge level reached could be of tactile type as represented in theFigures) or acoustic. The functions of battery's charge, of search ofthe telephone and of signalling of the reached charge level are ofconventional type so they will not be illustrated in detail as well asthe electronic components necessary for their realisation.

[0050] FIGS. 14-21 are further embodiments of the invention. Referencenumbers to features common to the phone previously described areindicated in the drawings of this new embodiment with the same numberused before plus 200, these features will not be further described.

[0051] This new embodiment comprises a base body 222 partly covered by afront door 223. The base body 222 comprises the upper seat 21A for themovable Braille bar 101. The bar 101 and its seat 21A are shaped in sucha way that the surface 101C of these bars, which has to be touched, isalmost on the same level as the upper face of the telephone. The Braillebar 101 comprises the switch 102 for manually select a specific bar. Thephone also comprises: a key 103 for reading again a complete message onthe Braille bar, and a key 104 for reading a subsequent string of eightcharacters on the Braille bar, and a conventional display 105. Thedisplay may be used by not blind people who wants to use the phone or toaid the blind to use it. It is to be noted that if the phone is to beused by people which can not see well but are not completely blind anddo not know the Braille language, instead of the Braille Bar the phonemay comprise a further conventional display (not shown) bigger than thedisplay 105 for displaying the letters or numbers of the message to beread or to be written in large dimension, i.e. each letter or numberhaving a dimension comprised between 0.5 and 4 cm.

[0052] It is to be noted the above feature of a phone with two differentdisplays and in particular the additional feature that at least onedisplay may reproduce the alphanumeric code to be displayed withdimension ranging from 0.5 to 4 cm, may be used in a phone for blindpeople but also in any other electrical devices and for displaying anyrequired alphabet or code, in particular in electrical devices to beused by blind people.

[0053] Preferably the second display is movably connected to a seatcomprised in the base body 222 of the phone similar to the seat 21A(FIG. 16) described before. In this way the phone may use both a Braillebar or a second display depending on the user necessities.

[0054] The phone represented in FIGS. 14-21 also comprises: a key 106for connecting to the telephone line and a key 108 for disconnectingfrom said line, a key 107 for cancelling the last typed character or thecharacter selected by pressing one of the Braille bar keys 102, keys106-108 and numerical keys 224 are provided on the front face of thedoor 223 which does not close and protect the whole front face of thebase body, but only its lower part.

[0055] As represented in FIG. 21, the base body 222 of the phonecomprises under the door 223 the rotating keys 240 and the keys 241, 242245 already described in the previous embodiment (see description of thekeys 41, 42, 45).

[0056] On its sides, the base body 222 comprises three keys 109-111 foraccessing and selecting the different menu's options of the phone. Key109 is slidable and may be moved up and down, and key 110 is carried bykey 109 and may be pushed.

[0057] By pushing key 110 the menu may be opened, the phoneautomatically confirms this opening to blind people by displaying it onthe Braille bar or by emitting a corresponding acoustic signal and/ormessage using the phone loudspeaker 204 and the phone control unit.

[0058] By moving key 109 up and down the menu may be scrolled, eachmovement corresponds to one “option” of the menu (for example phonebook,or messages or call services, call divert, or security). The phoneautomatically makes each menu “option” selected with key 109intelligible to blind people by displaying it on the Braille bar or byemitting a corresponding acoustic signal or message.

[0059] By pushing key 110 the different “suboptions” of a menu “option”may be selected and then made accessible to the blind people asdescribed before. By using key 109 the “sub option” may be furtherselected. For example for selecting a previously memorised phone number,first the menu is opened by pushing key 110 once, this will also producea “feedback” intelligible for blind people, then with key 109 the phonebook option is selected, is made intelligible to the blind, then it isselected with key 110, and then is scrolled with key 109 (for exampleuntil the letter “R” is selected) also this scrolling being madeaccessible to the blind. The scrolled option is confirmed with key 110and again is scrolled with key 109 until the desired option is found(for example the name “Robert”), which is confirmed with key 110. Allthis steps are made intelligible to the blind in the same way asexplained before. Once the name corresponding to the desired number tobe called is found, it is enough to push the key 106 corresponding to aconnection to the telephone line in order to place the desired call.

[0060] In order to facilitate the use of the menu keys, the base body222 comprises a key 111 for cancelling the last selected option of themenu.

[0061] The menu based way of controlling the different function of thephone is well known in the art and will not be further described.

[0062] It is to be noted that with said menu based control of the phonemany functions there may be implemented which in the embodimentdescribed before are activated by dedicated keys (26-30, 34, 43-44)and/or many other usual functions common to phones.

[0063] According to the invention the menu has also a new option called“history log” which comprises a list of the status of different featuresof the phone. Said features comprise information relating to differentoptions or parts of the phone and of the telephone provider. Byselecting an option of the “history log” menu the requested informationwill be made automatically accessible to the blind. For example the“history log” menu may comprise: the charging level of the phonebattery, the level of the telephone line signal, the status of the calldivert to an answering service or a telephone number, the number of theSMS comprised in the phone buffer or in the provider, the status of thepiezoelectric bars, the status of alert key 112, the number of messagesin the answering service, the number of e-mail stored by the provider,the status of an agenda for storing particular dates. As stated above,for example, by selecting the option relating to the number of SMSstored by the telephone provider, the controlling means of the phonewill automatically contact the phone provider, obtain the requestedinformation and make it available to the blind.

[0064] It is to be noted that that this menu base control of the phonecomprising a feedback intelligible to blind people, corresponding to theselected menu option, may be used in any other electrical devices.

[0065] The base body comprises on its side a movable element 112 forsignalling an event which was not detected by the user. This movableelement is normally in a “down” position, i.e. its upper end lies on thesame level as the base body side, if an event undetected by the blindtakes place, the movable element will be automatically moved in an “up”position with its upper end projecting from the base body side (asrepresented in FIG. 14). This movable element is used to signal to thephone user events like an SMS message which was not read or a message inthe answering device and similar events.

[0066] On its other side the phone comprises a key 233 to switch on andoff, keys 231 for selecting the desired volume for the loudspeaker 204,a key 115 for selecting the recording of a voice message or a telephoneconversation (this feature is common in the art and will not bedescribed in detail), and a key 116 for selecting one or more of thepossible option for made intelligible to the blind messages and featuresof the phone. Preferably said key is a snap key slidable in differentpositions, each corresponding to a possible feedback option for theblind. For example in a first position it may be selected a vocalfeedback, in a second position a Braille bar feedback, in a thirdposition both a vocal and Braille bar feedback.

[0067] A further embodiment of the invention is represented in FIG. 22(reference number to features common to the phone previously describedare indicated in the drawings of this new embodiment with the samenumber used before, plus 400), according to this solution the phone 300may be usual but its control unit 301 comprises means 302 for exchangingand transmitting data with an external device 303 different andseparated from the phone 300, which preferably comprises all thefeatures of the previously described embodiments but which has notelephone transmitting means. This external device comprises a controlunit 306 connected to all keys and means previously disclosed whichmakes intelligible by blind people all the usual features of a knownmobile phone but which is not able to place telephone conversation. Thiscontrol unit 306 is connected to transmitting means 307 for exchangingdata with the phone 300 and in particular with its transmitting means302.

[0068] Advantageously, the control means 301 of the phone 300 are ableto send to the external device 303 each message which appears on thedisplay 305 of the phone and are also able to receive from the externaldevice data and or messages to be sent by the phone 300, like SMSmessages, fax messages, e-mail, and signals to be used by the phone,like control signals for selecting the different features of the phone,for example signals corresponding to the different menu options of thephone.

[0069] The transmitting means 302, 307 for exchanging and transmittingdata between the phone 300 and the external device 303 may be of everyknown type, they may comprise a cable which connects said means or everyknown wireless technology, like bluetooth, for example.

[0070] According to the invention the external device is an input-outputunit for blind people connected to an usual phone 300 which must bemodified in a very simple way in order to be able to communicate withthis unit. For example if a blind wants to send an SMS message withphone 300 it would be sufficient for him to write this message with theBraille keys 440, eventually to check the written message on the Braillebar 401 or by a vocal feedback, select the desired telephone number forthe SMS message (by using the numeric keys 224 (not shown in FIG. 22) orthe phonebook of the external device menu) and send this data to thephone 300 which may automatically forward this message to the desiredtelephone number. The same happens for an incoming SMS message. Thephone will send this SMS message to the external device 303 which willdisplay this message on the Braille bar 401 or vocally by means of theloudspeaker 303B. As in the previous embodiments, the blind may bewarned of an incoming message by an acoustic signal and/or by theactivation of key 412.

[0071] It is to be noted that according to the invention even if theexternal device has been described with reference to a telephone forblind people and Braille alphabet, it may be used to interact with anyother electrical device which can be used by blind people and requiresmessage to be read and/or written by said blind.

[0072] Finally, it is to be reasserted that the embodiments ashereinbefore illustrated have been given just by way of example and thatnumerous variations are possible all of them being part of the sameinventive concept.

[0073] It's to be stressed that the particular keys or operatingmembers, intelligible to the blind people, as hereinbefore described,and, particularly the numerical keyboard 21, the keys 25, 28 foractivating/disconnecting the telephone line and the answering service,respectively, the means 29, 30, 52 for the verification, respectively,of the level of position of the telephone, of the signal reception ofand of position of the charger, could be realized, all or only some ofthem, also in telephones of conventional type not equipped with meansfor the printing of SMS messages.

[0074] The same also applies to the regulating charger 49 as describedhereinbefore which could be used also with an ordinary telephone.

1. A telephone comprising interface means (4, 1, 3, 12, 40) arranged toallow the transmission and reception of signals corresponding to vocaland alphanumeric messages, and at least a controlling and processingunit (5) for said signals and said means, characterized in that itprovides means (9, 10, 10A, 10B) to make said received alphanumericmessages, intelligible to blind people, and that these interfacesprovide member (40) arranged to allow blind people to transmit saidalphanumeric messages.
 2. A telephone according to claim 1,characterized in that the means (9, 10) to make the alphanumericmessages intelligible for blind people comprise means (12) fit to deforma support (16) so to engrave on it said alphanumeric message in Braillealphabet.
 3. A telephone according to claim 2, characterized in that thedeformable support is a ribbon (16) and that means (15) are provided forthe automatic feeding of such ribbon, means (13) for deforming suchribbon and/or sensory means (16) to detect the presence of said ribbon.4. A telephone according to claim 1, characterized in that the means (9,10A) to make the alphanumeric messages intelligible to the blind peopleinclude members (13B) arranged to modify the position of a plurality ofmovable tactile elements (20) so that all characters of saidalphanumeric messages are reproduced in sequence as Braille alphabet. 5.A telephone according to claim 4, characterized in that the meansprovide at least a cell (13B) of a Braille bar.
 6. A telephone accordingto claim 1, characterized in that the means (9, 10B) to make thealphanumeric messages intelligible to the blind people include means(10B) fit to realize a vocal synthesis of said alphanumeric messages. 7.A telephone according to claim 1, characterized in that it provides abody (21) arranged to lodge the interface means (1, 3, 4, 12, 40) andthe control unit (5) and that also the means (9, 10, 10A, 10B) to makethe alphanumeric messages intelligible to the blind people are lodged insaid body.
 8. A telephone according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe means (40) to allow the blind people to transmit an alphanumericmessage provide an alphanumeric keyboard having on the relative keys(40) alphanumeric characters in Braille characters.
 9. A telephoneaccording to claim 8, characterized in that the keys (40) of thealphanumeric Braille keyboard are shaped so that they can be rotated ina plurality of different operational positions.
 10. A telephoneaccording to claim 9, characterized in that to each of the differentpositions of each key (40) corresponds a character of the alphabetBraille or no character at all.
 11. A telephone according to claim 1,characterized in that it provides operating members (43, 44, 45) toactivate a function of sending the alphanumeric message and/or acousticmeans which confirm that the forwarding has taken place or there was noforwarding, and/or a key (41) to type in a space in the alphanumericmessage, and/or a key to activate the dial of numerical characters inalternative to the alphabetical ones (42) and/or a key (43) to selectthe composition of a SMS message and/or of a key (45) to erase the lastselected character, and that on said keys or in their correspondence isprovided a sign intelligible to the blind people fit to identify thefunction of each key.
 12. A telephone according to claim 1,characterized in that it provides a numerical keyboard (24), in whichthe number corresponding to each key is given in Braille on the externalface of the keys, and/or a key (25) to take-close the telephone line,and/or a key (26) to send the alphanumeric messages, and/or a key (27)to erase an alphanumeric received message, and/or a slide key (28) forthe activation-disconnection of an answering service, and/or keys (29)and (30) to activate a function of verification of the level,respectively, of reception of the telephone signal and battery's charge.13. A telephone according to claim 12, characterized in that the keys(29, 30) for verifying the levels of reception of the telephone signaland position of the battery are connected through the control unit (5)of the telephone to a member arranged to give a different acousticsignal for each detected level of reception or charge.
 14. A telephoneaccording to claim 12, characterized in that on said keys or incorrespondence thereof is provided a sign intelligible to blind peoplefit to identify the function of each key.
 15. A telephone according toclaim 1, characterized in that the faces of all the keys of thetelephone have dimensions greater or equal to 4×7 (mm).
 16. A Telephoneaccording to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a rechargeablebattery (35) and a regulating battery charger (49) with means (52)indicating the level of the reached charged, in such a way to beintelligible to the blind people.
 17. A telephone according to claim 5characterised in that the Braille bar (101) is movably connected to thetelephone body.
 18. A telephone according to claim 5 characterised inthat each single bar (101 c) comprises a switch (102) for manuallyselecting each of said bars.
 19. A telephone according to claim 1comprising a key (103) for reading again a complete message on theBraille bar (101), and/or a key (104) for reading a subsequent string ofcharacter on the Braille bar (101), and or a display (105).
 20. Atelephone according to claim 1 comprising a display for displaying theletters or numbers of the message to be read or to be written in adimension ranging between 0.5 and 4 cm.
 21. A telephone comprising twodisplays (105), one being bigger than the other (105) and being arrangedto display characters having a dimension bigger than that of thecharacters displayed on the smaller display (105).
 22. A telephoneaccording to claim 21 characterised in that the second display ismovably connected to a base body (222) of the telephone.
 23. A telephoneaccording to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises: a plurality ofkeys (109-111) for accessing and selecting different menu's options ofthe telephone, and in that the telephone control means comprise meansfor making automatically each of said access or selection intelligibleto blind people.
 24. A telephone according to claim 23 characterised inthat the means for making automatically said access or selectionintelligible to blind people comprise a Braille bar (101) or means foremitting an acoustic signal or vocal message (103).
 25. A telephoneaccording to claim 23 characterised in that it comprises a key (111) forcancelling the last selected option of the menu, and/or a movableelement (112) for signalling an event which was not detected by theuser, and/or a key (116) for selecting one or more of the possibleoptions for making messages and features of the phone intelligible tothe blind.
 26. A telephone comprising interfaces means (4, 1, 3) fit toallow the transmission and reception of signals corresponding to vocaland alphanumeric messages, and at least a control and processing unit(5) of said signals and means, characterized in that it provides thekeyboard (24) and/or at least one of the keys (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)as defined in one of the claims 12, 13, 14, 15, respectively.
 27. Abattery charger for a telephone, characterized in that it comprisesmeans (52) to give the level of the reached position, in a wayintelligible to the blind people.
 28. A telephone comprising means ofinterface (4, 1, 3, 12, 40) for displaying alphanumeric data, such asmessages or instructions or selection or options of a menu, and at leasta controlling and processing unit (5) for said data, characterised inthat said interface means comprise means (9, 10, 10A, 10B) to make saiddata intelligible to blind people.
 29. A telephone according to claim 26characterised in that the means (9, 10) to make the data intelligiblefor blind people comprise means (12) fit to deform a support (16) so toengrave on it said alphanumeric message in Braille alphabet.
 30. Atelephone according to claim 26, characterized in that the means (9,10A) to make the data intelligible to the blind people include members(13B) arranged to modify the position of a plurality of movable tactileelements (20) so that all characters of said data are reproduced insequence as Braille alphabet.
 31. A telephone according to claim 29,characterized in that the means provide at least a cell (13B) of aBraille bar.
 32. A telephone according to claim 26, characterized inthat the means (9, 10B) to make the alphanumeric messages intelligibleto the blind people include means (10B) arranged to realize a vocalsynthesis of said data.
 33. A telephone according to claim 26,characterized in that it provides a body (21) arranged to lodge theinterface means (1, 3, 4, 12, 40) and the control unit (5) and that alsothe means (9, 10, 10A, 10B) to make the alphanumeric messagesintelligible to the blind people are lodged in said body.
 34. A devicefor blind people for interacting with a telephone characterised in thatthe telephone (300) is provided with means (302) for exchanging datawith said device (303), said data comprising at least some of the usualmessages, options, selections displayed by a telephone, said devicecomprises means (307) for exchanging data with said telephone (300), themeans (302) of the telephone (300) are arranged to send to said device(303) said data and said means (307) of the device are arranged to makesaid received data intelligible to the blind people, said device furthercomprising selection means arranged to make each selection intelligibleto the blind people and to send said selection to the telephone throughsaid exchanging means.
 35. A device according to claim 32 characterisedin that the exchanging means (302, 307) for exchanging and transmittingdata between the telephone (300) and the device (303) comprises a cablewhich connects said means or a wireless connection means.
 36. A deviceas claimed in claim 32, characterized in that the means (9, 10) to makethe data intelligible for blind people comprise means (12) fit to deforma support (16) so to engrave on it said data in Braille alphabet.
 37. Adevice according to claim 32, characterized in that the means (9, 10A)to make the data intelligible to the blind people include members (13B)arranged to modify the position of a plurality of movable tactileelements (20) so that all characters of said data are reproduced insequence as Braille alphabet.
 38. A device according to claim 35,characterized in that the means provide at least a cell (13B) of aBraille bar.
 39. A device according to claim 32, characterized in thatthe means (9, 10B) to make the data intelligible to the blind peopleinclude means (10B) arranged to realize a vocal synthesis of said data.40. A device according to claim 32, characterized in that the selectionmeans comprise an alphanumeric keyboard having on the relative keys (40)alphanumeric characters in Braille characters.
 41. A device according toclaim 38, characterized in that the keys (40) of the alphanumericBraille keyboard are shaped so that they can be rotated in a pluralityof different operational positions.
 42. A device according to claim 39,characterized in that to each of the different positions of each key(40) corresponds a character of the alphabet Braille or no character atall.
 43. A device according to claim 39, characterized in that itprovides operating members (43, 44, 45) to activate a function ofsending the data to the telephone and/or acoustic means which confirmthat the forwarding has taken place or there was no forwarding, and/or akey (41) to type in a space in the datum, and/or a key to activate thedial of numerical characters in alternative to the alphabetical ones(42) and/or a key (43) to select the composition of a SMS message and/orof a key (45) to erase the last selected character, and that on saidkeys or in their correspondence is provided a sign intelligible to theblind people fit to identify the function of each key.
 44. A deviceaccording to claim 32, characterized in that it provides a numericalkeyboard (24), in which the number corresponding to each key is given inBraille on the external face of the keys, and/or a key (26) to send analphanumeric datum, and/or a key (27) to erase an alphanumeric receiveddatum.
 45. A device according to the preceding claims, characterized inthat the faces of all the keys of the device have dimensions greater orequal to 4×7 (mm).
 46. A device according to claim 36 characterised inthat the Braille bar (101) is movably connected to the telephone body.47. A device according to claim 36 characterised in that each barcomprises a switch (102) for manually selecting each of said bar.
 48. Adevice according to claim 32 comprising a key (103) for reading again acomplete message on the Braille bar, and/or a key (104) for reading asubsequent string of character on the Braille bar, and/or a conventionaldisplay (105).
 49. A device according to claim 32 comprising aconventional display for displaying the letters or numbers of themessage to be read or to be written in a dimension ranging between 0.5and 4 cm.
 50. A device according to claim 47 comprising two displays,one being bigger than the other and being arranged to display charactershaving a dimension larger than that of the characters displayed on thesmaller display.
 51. A device according to claim 48 characterised inthat the second display is movably connected to a base body (222) of thephone.
 52. A device according to claim 32 characterized in that itcomprises: a plurality of keys (109-111) for accessing and selectingdifferent menu's options of the telephone, and in that the devicecomprises control means for making automatically each of said access orselection intelligible to blind people.
 53. A device according to claim50 characterized in that the means for automatically making said accessor selection intelligible to blind people comprise a Braille bar ormeans for emitting an acoustic signal or vocal message.
 54. A deviceaccording to claim 50 characterised in that it comprises a key (111) forcancelling the last selected option of the menu, and/or a movableelement (112) for signalling an event which was not detected by theuser, and/or a key (116) for selecting one or more of the possibleoptions for making messages and features of the phone intelligible tothe blind.
 55. An electronic device comprising a keyboard (40) providedwith keys shaped in such a way that can be rotated in a plurality ofdifferent operational positions.
 56. A device as claimed in claim 53characterised in that each key has a substantially parallelepiped shapewith regular shaped bases, in particular triangular, square, pentagon,hexagon, heptagon shaped.
 57. A device as claimed in claim 53, having onthe relative keys (40) alphanumeric characters in Braille characters.58. A device according to claim 53, characterized in that to each of thedifferent positions of each key (40) it corresponds a character of theBraille alphabet, or no character at all.
 59. A device according toclaim 53 characterised in that all side faces of the keyboard keys haveequal dimensions and/or that said dimensions are at least 4×7 mm.
 60. Adevice according to claim 53 characterised in that each key may berotated and pushed down in any of the possible rotational positions, bysaid rotation and subsequent pushing down being the selection of aparticular character.
 61. A device as claimed in claim 53 characterisedin that on an end of each key (40) there is a projection (47) withrelieves on it, arranged in such a way that under the pressure of therotating key, through underlying contacts, electric circuits (48) may beactivated relative to the representation of a corresponding character,each pressure of the key corresponding to a letter causing the closingof a particular and univocal combination of contacts (48).